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Brief Synopsis

A big game hunter decides to stalk human prey.

While sailing through treacherous shark-infested channels, the yacht carrying Bob Rainsford, a noted big game hunter, strikes a coral reef and sinks. Bob swims to the shore of a tiny island, the only survivor of the wreck, and locates a mysterious fortress, which is owned by the Russian Count Zaroff. A gracious if intense host, Zaroff introduces Bob to Eve Trowbridge and her brother Martin, who are also recent shipwreck survivors. Zaroff, finding Bob a kindred spirit, reveals his obsessive passion for hunting and refers obtusely to his favorite island pastime, the pursuit of "the most dangerous game." As the evening progresses, Martin becomes more intoxicated, while his sister tries to warn Bob to be wary of Zaroff. Later that night, Zaroff invites Martin to his "trophy room," which boasts several mounted human heads, and informs him that his head will soon be joining the others on the wall. When Martin fails to return to his room, Eve solicits Bob's help, and they soon end up in the trophy room where they are caught by Zaroff. Once Martin's corpse is revealed, Zaroff tells Bob that he is to be the next unwilling player in the game. According to Zaroff's rules, the prize if Zaroff kills Bob will be Eve, but if Bob escapes death before 4 a.m., he will receive freedom and Eve. With Eve in tow, Bob runs into the swampy, fog-enshrouded forest, where he successfully eludes Zaroff's arrows. While Bob battles one of the count's killer hunting dogs, Zaroff shoots at him, and dog and man fall over a cliff into the ocean. Confident that he has won Eve, Zaroff returns to his fortress, only to discover later that Bob is still alive. After a fierce fight, Bob kills Zaroff and his men, and escapes the island with Eve.